What Is Your Strength?

In the 7 months that I've been in Brazil as a missionary, I have noticed that there are at least 2 kinds of missionaries. The first kind of missionaries are the people and project-oriented missionaries. These seem to be the majority of the missionaries I know. The second kind of missionaries are the study and office-oriented missionaries. It seems implied that the first kind have a certain "strength" in dealing with people and getting big projects accomplished, and the second kind have a "strength" in studying and intellectual matters. I am not criticizing either one of these kinds of missionaries, but simply analyzing what kind of missionary I am and what kind of missionary God wants me to be.

Isaiah 30:15 says, "...in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." I am certain that God wants me to be the kind of missionary that quietly trusts in Him daily. It is easy to be a missionary who trusts in his people strengths or intellectual strengths to get the job done, but even if the "job" does get done, God will not be exalted in this effort. I'm convinced, though, that the job will not actually be accomplished effectively and consistently if I am not quietly trusting in God for such.

The people of Israel had the problem of trusting in their supposed strength of Egypt. Listen to what God said about Egypt:

"Everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit..."
"Egypt's help is worthless and empty." (Is. 30:5-7)

These people said they did not want to hear no more about the Holy One of Israel, and despised the Word. (Is. 30:12) Why? Because they trusted in their "strengths". I wonder if I don't do that as well. I trust in all the intellectual powers I get from reading so much (now you know what kind of missionary I am: :), that I don't quietly wait on Him for the results. I also see myself wanting to be more of a people oriented missionary, which can be good, as long as I don't trust in my visitations and evangelistic efforts to ultimately get the job done.

In conclusion, I realize that God has appointed to do His work through people and their hard work. I am simply stating the danger of trusting in your hard work, your "strengths", to accomplish successfully what God has called you to do. Your greatest strength is in quietly trusting in your GREAT GOD!